Frost last week has damaged the growth on all the potatoes. We've pruned the brown leaves and hoping that there is enough green underneath to all the plants to carry on growing. Have also re-seeded rows of beetroot where the plants have not shown yet.
Also planted out a couple of courgette plants, four cauliflowers and the rest of the peas today. Ran the strimmer around the plot - huge number of dandilion heads shedding seeds all over the plot :-(
I scrumped some pea sticks from the hedgerow along the side of the allotment where the hawthorn had been cut back and some dead branches were perfect for building up a climbing frame for the young peas. Thankfully the peas planted out to the allotment early have not been too damaged by the cold.
Also planted two of the pumpkins plants out - these were germinated from seeds I took from the haloween pumpkin that the we hollowed out for the kids to put at the front door. Have planted these to ramble between the gooseberry and blackcurrents. The runner beans planted out 10 days ago are all dead. The allotment must be alot colder.
Progress in the other beds - gold beetroot is not germinateing as quickly as the red so have planted extra seed between sprouts.
Having to remove a number of smal spud plants that are sprouting amongst the carrots and onions.
Spinach is coming on well. Pasnips have been decidedly unsucessful. None of the seeds planted have germinated. Must read up a little more on what parsnips need. (spot the hedge bindweed popping up all over the place!)
Planted out a Comfrey which will be used for green manure whne it is big enough.
Birds have been pecking the young broad bean leaf, stunting their growth so I've tied lines with old CDs across the bed and tied a supermarket bag which should hopefully make it a slightly less chilled restaurant for the local pigeons!
Planted out the purple sprouting brocolli today and created a net frame around it. Done with old plumbing pipes and electrical cable ties - a magnificent invention and so much easier than fiddling with string. Also pushed the soil up on the first early potatoes. First lot of peas also planted out and netted.
Planted and polled the first of the French Runner Beans. Hopefully these will survive
The net frame and runner beans from the front of the allotment.
I dont think the seeds hav sprouted on this side of the box bed so I have planted out some more Golden Detroit Beetroot at this end. The beetroot at the other end of the bed has started sprouting as have some parsnips. Carrots in the middle beds are also showing, onions and shalots are doing very well.
